Streeterville man killed by falling tree at Michigan golf course

A Streeterville man who was a consultant for the PGA Tour was killed today when he was struck by a tree that fell while he was golfing at a course in Michigan.

Bruce Florine, 52, was walking between the first and second holes of the Dunes Golf Course in New Buffalo at about 8:30 a.m. Friday when the tree toppled in high winds and struck his head, according to the Berrien County sheriff's office.

He was found by other club members at the course, about 100 miles southwest of Grand Rapids.

Florine was a board member of the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, which recently hired him as a marketing and sponsorship expert, according to a statement from the organization.

He was also a consultant to the PGA Tour and was working on preparations for the Ryder Cup, a top golf tournament that will be held in the Chicago area next year, said Brian Hopkins, president of SOAR, in a telephone interview.

“We have lost a dear friend and a true leader in Streeterville,” Hopkins said in the statement. “Bruce gave so much of his passion and energy to our community. We are devastated by this tragic accident, and join Bruce’s family in grief as we extend our deepest condolences to them.”

According to SOAR, Florine helped devise a promotional stunt earlier this week in which golfers Davis Love III and Jose Maria Olazabal hit shots from the 16th floor of Trump Tower to a makeshift target on a barge in the Chicago River.

Florine also worked on StreeterFest, a festival held last month in Lake Shore Park. Although neighborhood festivals have become commonplace in Chicago in recent years, Streeterville had never held one before, Hopkins said, and Florine was instrumental in creating the festival and making it a success.